Joe Biden Claims ‘Poor Kids’ Are Just As Bright As ‘White Kids'
Democratic presidential nominee hopeful Joe Biden made a truly racist remark
On Thursday, democratic presidential campaign hopeful Joe Biden made a startling (and racist) statement during a speech, declaring that “poor kids are just as bright and talented as white kids.”
“We have this notion that somehow if you’re poor you cannot do it,” he stated during the town hall speech in Des Moines hosted by the Asian & Latino Coalition. “Poor kids are just as bright and just as talented as white kids.” A little awkward clapping could be heard in the audience before the former Vice President made a quick attempt at damage control. “Wealthy kids, black kids, Asian kids,” he continued. “No, I really mean it, but think how we think about it.”
He later added, “They can do anything that anybody else can do, given a shot.”
The internet was quick to react, with people from all political parties shocked by Biden’s words, many accusing him of racism.
According to Biden’s campaign, the former vice president “misspoke and immediately corrected himself,” claiming it was one, giant misunderstanding. They also slammed team Trump’s for sharing the video. “Joe Biden has spent his life fighting for civil rights and the dignity of all people. The Trump campaign posting the video without the Vice President’s immediate correction is patently disingenuous — and it’s no coincidence this comes days after Joe Biden laid out how this president emboldens white nationalism and embraces racism,” deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield said in a statement.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, also fighting for the democratic presidential nomination, made a valid point about Biden’s blunder and what it means in the big picture of politics. “To quickly dismiss @JoeBiden’s words as a mere ‘slip of the tongue’ is as concerning as what he said,” de Blasio said on Twitter Friday, according to the Washington Post. “We need to have a real conversation about the racism and sexism behind ‘electability.’”
This isn’t the first time Biden’s remarks have raised eyebrows in regards to racism. Back in 2007, when he was launching his bid for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, he made some questionable comments during an interview with the New York Observer about then-Sen. Barack Obama. In it, he called the future President “the first mainstream African American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy.”
He later on issued a statement apologizing. “I deeply regret any offense my remark in the New York Observer might have caused anyone. That was not my intent and I expressed that to Sen. Obama,” he said.
Biden is currently ahead in the national and early state polling for the Democratic presidential nomination, with one poll putting him in the lead with 28 percent of polled voters supporting him, followed by Senator Elizabeth Warren with 19 percent, Senator Kamala Harris with 11 percent and Senator Bernie Sanders with 9 percent.
